L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stain Review & Swatches

L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stain, quite an exciting Spring 2013 launch for L’Oreal don’t you think? These have everyone in an absolute uproar at the moment and I can easily understand why considering word on the street is they are a cheaper dupe of YSL Glossy Stains.

I have tried both the L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stains now and the YSL Glossy Stains so I feel confident comparing the two products. I even went ahead and hauled out my YSL Glossy Stains and revisited them to make accurate comparisons between the two.

Shall we have a look?

These are available in 12 shades for $7.49 at Harmons. I’m hearing a variety of different prices from reader’s depending where you buy but from what I have heard it seems CVS and Walgreens the price stands at around $10.49-$11. YSL Glossy Stains are 0.20 oz in size and $32 each and L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stains are 0.21 oz in size and run anywhere from $7.49 to $12 depending where you buy.

The formula is indeed exactly the same as YSL Glossy Stains. L’Oreal is YSL’s parent company so it isn’t any great surprise the formulas are identical. They even share the same perfume-y fruity taste.

The only major difference between the two formulas is I noticed some of L’Oreal’s shades are a bit sheerer and less opaque than ones from YSL. I think it’ll really depend on the pigment of your lips to determine whether or not a shade will be completely opaque. Out of the eight shades I purchased only four produced opaque coverage where as the others had a very sheer barely there look. My lips are a rosy reddish pink. They aren’t completely pale nor are they super pigmented so some of the sheerer shades were barely visible on my lips. If you have pale lips the lighter shades might work for you. If you have medium or deeply pigmented lips avoid purchasing lighter shades, it’s a waste of money, they won’t show up on you.

The formula can potentially dry lips out when worn over the course of the day. They start out as a watery, hydrating texture but begin to dry out very quickly and get drier as the day progresses. It’s the type of lip product that will make you want to rub your lips together in order to get more moisture to the area. Gloss on top might solve the problem but I wouldn’t recommend balm prior to use as it’ll hinder application and make the stain slip and slide around your mouth unevenly.

Scroll over the image to see the name of the color!

Pink Resistance, Infinite Fuchsia, Eternally Nude, Endless Red

Coral Tattoo, Everlasting Caramel, Rose On and On, Lilac Ever After

They apply very smoothly and evenly. Darker shades only need a single application for opaque coverage however, lighter ones may require up to five layers to see even the tiniest bit of tint. You’ll notice below I didn’t do lip swatches of a few shades as they really didn’t show up on my lips. They have a brief dry down period to set but once they set they wear quite strong. I can drink through the darker shades and not have an issue with the color fading. I can’t eat through the wear through as they seem to lose a bit of there intensity however, they do leave a stain behind. Color intensity lasts for about three to four hours before it begins to fade. As it fades it leaves behind a nice staining effect.

“Shine Stain” is a confusing title and implies they’ll either have a shiny or glossy finish or act as a stain and a gloss and that simply isn’t the case. The texture is a water-y gel same as YSL’s version. It isn’t glossy or shiny but does have a certain sheen at first application. On dry down the texture begins to go semi-matte. Dry down takes about 20-30 seconds, after that the product is set to go for the next few hours of wear.

As I mentioned above they have the same taste and scent as YSL’s version however, it seems a bit stronger all around here. I don’t personally like it but it’s something you can get used to. Peppermint, some sort of fruit would be pleasant but this strangely perfume-y fruitiness isn’t very pleasant to my mouth. If you’re sensitive take this into consideration prior to purchasing.

Overall, L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stains are a great product all around. If you liked YSL’s version it’s a given you’ll like L’Oreal version because the products are identical formulations. The lighter shades will prove disappointing as they lack pigment and won’t work on pigmented lips. The drier texture and wear won’t be loved by all especially those prone to chapped or dry lips however, clear gloss on top might make things a little more bearable.

I didn’t like these at first as they had a strange silicone-like feel I wasn’t in love with. After using them for a few days I’ve finally come around to enjoying them. They have a few quirks which prevents them from getting a full Muse Approval but if you find them in stores I do recommend checking them out. Particularly the darker shades which look wonderful!

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About the Muse

Isabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

Aditi

Ooh, I already see a couple I want to have! Everlasting Caramel looks fantastic on you. I’ll probably keep an eye out for Lilac Ever After, Infinite Fuschia and everlasting Caramel. I love how Coral Tattoo looks but I doubt it will suit my Indian skintone *sigh*

Ruth

Ruth

That’s awesome! Been wanting to try the YSL but can’t pay that amount for a lippie color considering the amount of lippies in my collection.

ID- throws money at new stuff with abandon, doesn’t think of consequences
EGO- maybe wait until there’s a sale or coupon
SUPEREGO- “hey, asshat ID, there’s a drugstore dupe. will that satisfy you for the time being??”

the Muse

sai

i just brought 3 of them from the drugstore here:p they are having promotion of 25% off pulse another 25%off if u buy 2 products from loreal….super good deal here…it’s HKD 55.5 per one…which is ard USD7….where the original price is HKD98(ard USD 14)

the name of the lip gloss is different

i got 604 bella, 606 lolita and 900 pretty woman

not sure if they are the same color as those in US as i still dun have time to tried them out …maybe it is the same case as the infailable eyeshadow….different number and different name but the same color

the Muse

Deb

Muse, thank you for the in-depth review. Once again, you come to the rescue! I have four of the YSL versions and had decided to not buy anymore. I like them ok and they are good for some occasions when you don’t want to constantly be refreshing lip color. But they aren’t as perfect as some of the raves I’ve seen. These look like a good replacement. Your detailed review is perfect; now I can go for these knowing exactly what to expect.
BTW, the Coral Tattoo looks GREAT on you. I think it lights up your face in ways some of the other colors don’t.

Olivia

Adrienne

I purchased the nude color and so far I like the color and the shine as many stains don’t have a lot of shine. I wish the wear was a little longer but overall I’m satisfied with it and may purchase another color.

ellie

Thank you so much for the swatches. You look beautiful with all those colors. I do not see them in CA yet. I think they will come out after X-mas and I can’t wait. I am so glad I’ve been saying, “No” to my YSL urge. And whenever I try YSL in Sephora, I’ve always wanted YSL to be “sheerer and less opaque” and I get my wishes come true at much better price. 3-4 differents colors for 1 YSL? That’s a steal!

Jenny

L e n a

thank you for your review and swatches!
i happened to love the YSL glossy stain and i am very excited to try this L’Oreal version. just placed an order.
like yourself, i love the caresse lipsticks as well. i think l’Oreal is really stepping up their game. 🙂

the Muse

Libby

They look lovely on you!

I’m a huge fan of the YSL ones, they’re some of my favorite lippies at the moment so I’m definitely going to need to check these out! I love the way Everlasting Caramel looks on you 🙂 It’s more like a brick red than the brown the swatch shows!

Majick

the Muse

Kim

Seriously, I have been on the hunt for these! I have been two states and several stores but so far, nada. I don’t know what Harmon’s is but it always seem to get everything before anywhere else! I need a Harmon’s. 🙂 Thanks for the review.

Nikki

Just saw these at my local Walmart, along with a bunch of other new goodies 🙂 picked up coral tattoo and its such a pretty shade. The staying power is crazy good, but not crazy about the sticky texture all day. But it is a gloss so that’s expected, also I have to make sure I but on a good lip balm underneath to prevent drying.

the Muse

Suzette

Thanks for the great review, Muse!

Could you let us know exactly which colors you feel are opaque and which are transparent? I just purchases Rose on Rose at Target ($7.99) and it seemed to be fairly transparent on my lips are first. I’m not sure it’s because my lips are too tinted themselves, or what.

In your opinion, with your coloring, which were the transparent ones? Those are the ones I want to avoid!

Annabells117

I love YSL stains & these too. But the L’Oreal colors are so bright on me they’re not too wearable for daytime. I’m blonde hair/ blue eyes with light skin & lips. The L’Oreal stains all look Barbie doll bright on my lips. Even the nude appears bright peach!

Also: The dark colors are NOT all opaque- they just seem that way on u bc u have darker/ more pigmented lips. On fair lips, Berry Persistent can be a streaky mess UNLESS I work with it. I can wear it if I first apply a layer of Rose and then a layer of Berry. Layering these can be fun & might let u use the lighter colors that didn’t show up. Perhaps you can layer a midtone first? Or try concealer too. I had no issues with L’Oreal stains adhering to lightly dabbed concealer

rsechristi

Dammit I’m on a tablet & I can’t scroll over the pic to see the name of the shade lol :-). That keeps happening to me on this haha. I picked up several of these with high hopes, but unfortunately the one I tried, pink perseverance dried my lips out so badly & didn’t show up at all. Too scared of my lips shriveling up to try a darker shade =(. I lost my receipt, so onto eBay they go I guess! ( the new unused ones of course)

nishi

Linda

i’m so super backward, but i just found the shade Bella layers on PERFECTLY with Revlon’s Just Bitten Honey Douce!!! I don’t have a problem with the scent, but i did find the texture a bit annoying initially. But at the price point, who can argue?!?? 😉 PS, LOVE Coral Tattoe on you!!